WITH Christmas just a few weeks away, everyone’s starting to feel the pressure to find the perfect presents - but help is at hand! A

ANGELA POPLETT, Lakeside’s Personal Shopper, has been scouring all of the shops at Lakeside to find you some great gift ideas for the whole family.

She said: “The best place to start is to think about each person individually: what do they do in their spare time; what do they already have at home? Taking your inspiration from what you know they already like will give you some ideas straight away.

“If you want to buy them jewellery, for example, have a quick peek to see if they have mostly gold or silver and whether they tend to go for classic or contemporary pieces.

"If you’re looking for something special but have a limited budget, try Silverleaf on Brompton Walk for delicate and unusual pieces at really affordable prices.

"Or, if you want to splash out on a real showstopper, take a look at Ernest Jones’ Chocolate Diamonds collection for a piece they’ll treasure forever.

“When thinking about your budget, it’s also helpful to think about whether the person you’re buying for loves a bargain or prefers branded items. If they shop in Primark, H&M and New Look a lot, you could buy them lots of little things so they end up with a huge pile of pressies.

"The brand new Forever 21 at Lakeside could be the perfect place to pick up lots of exciting small bits that they may not have seen before. If they tend to shop for brands, though, its smarter to get them one of two carefully selected items instead from stores like House of Fraser and Choice.

“Gifts should always be about the thought not the budget. A thoughtful gift that tugs on the heartstrings will beat a generic, big ticket item every time so use your imagination and get creative!

"Check out two of Lakeside’s newest shops for thoughtful and personal items like wall art (Flutterbyes on Brompton Walk) or sweets from their childhood (Kingdom of Sweets). They’re likely to talk about and enjoy these for much longer than many of their other presents.

“For someone who loves to be cosy in winter, a hot water bottle or a pair of snug pyjamas will always be a perfect present. You’ll find plenty of options like these in the gift sections of BHS, Boux Avenue and Primark at Lakeside.

“Finally, rather than trying to spread your money too thinly among the family, why not invest in one big present that everyone can enjoy together? A new TV to watch the Christmas movies on or a games console to share over the Christmas break could be a much better use of your budget.

“And if none of those ideas quite hit the mark, why not get your loved ones a Lakeside Gift Card so they can choose their own perfect presents?”

Lakeside is open for even longer than usual this December so you’ll have plenty of time to pick up those presents: 9am-11pm weekdays; 9am-10pm Saturdays and 9am-6pm on Christmas Eve.

To book a free gift shopping session with Angela, call on 01708 869 933 or visit www.lakeside.uk.com for details.